Five Points in Five Weeks
Unconditional Election
A Brief Review
• Total Depravity
– We sin because we are sinners
• Not sinners because we sin
– Due to original sin:
• All parts of our being are corrupted
– Though not as bad as they might be
• Unable to seek God
• Unwilling to seek God even if we could
– Our wills won’t choose something contrary to their nature
By the way…
What of Very Young Children?
• Arminians might argue with the
idea that children are responsible
for early sins
– Rooted in sin as free will decision
• Thus “age of accountability”
• BUT
– If they die before that age, how to
heaven?
– If because they are innocent, don’t
need Jesus
– But why death if innocent?
• SO
– Reformed see infants as elect, or
minimally those of covenant
parents
– Only reference: David saying he
would go to deceased son
No Election
Conditional Election
ARMINIAN OPTIONS ON ELECTION
No Election
• Some Christians just duck the issue altogether
and deny that God elects
• But this is putting your head in the sand
• Election is mentioned repeatedly throughout
Scripture
• Honest believers can’t deny the Bible teaches
election, so to protect free will, they may
believe…
Conditional Election
• True Arminian position
• Acknowledges that God elects
• But on the CONDITION of
foreknowledge
– Romans 8:29
• This inconsistent with
overwhelming biblical evidence
to the contrary
– And misses meaning of
“foreknowledge” in the verse
– It is to know in the intimate sense,
not just knowing what they’ll do
• Reformed response:
– Since dead in trespasses (Eph 2:1)
only come to Christ if Father draws
them (Jn 6:44)
Unconditional Election
• Clearly NOT Calvin’s
starting point in the
discussion
• Rooted in Doctrine of
Providence (Book I of
Institutes)
• Later election developed
in Book III
• We’ll look to understand
the former so we have
perspective on the latter
PROVIDENCE
Election
PROVIDENCE
• Calvin and the Reformed
tradition have a “big” God
– In control of everything
– Including decisions of
humans
– Stands in stark contrast to
God who begs people to
be saved but is unable to
persuade them
– And bigger than the God of
open theism
• For Calvin, the doctrine of
providence opposes
“Fortune and fortuitous
happenings” (cp. Mt.
10:29-30)
• “Nothing happens except
what is knowingly and
willingly decreed by him”
• Though he often works
through secondary causes
• So, everything is a “God
thing”
Providence in Scripture
• KEY: God governs all, not
merely sees all:
– Pertains to God’s hands,
not just eyes
• Waters the earth
– Lev. 26:3-4; Dt. 11:13
• Feeds ravens
– Psalm 147:9
• Knows every detail
– Mt. 10: 29-31
• Responsible for natural
occurrences (Dt. 28:22)
• These are general
providences
• But also extends to
humans
– Man does not even direct
his steps (Jer. 10:23)
– Steps are from the Lord (Pr.
20:24)
• He humbles and lifts up
(Ps. 75:6-7)
Providence Summed
• “It is an absurd folly that
miserable men take it upon
themselves to act without
God, when they cannot
speak except as he wills”
• We may not see his hand
behind the scene
• Nor understand the
purpose
• But trust he is working all
things together for good
• Cp. Pat Robertson story
Why It Matters
• Quietens our minds to
know God is in control
• We don’t ask God to
give account to us
• But submit to his will
for us
• De Caussaude’s notion
of abandonment to
Divine Providence
• May be the single most
important “cure” to
anxiety
• But can we yield our
short-term interests to
God’s providence
• And accept what he
plans over what we
want
• Let’s look more closely
Antidote: Trusting in a Provident God
• Many Christians are illequipped for this, having
rather small views of God
– God as “Santa Claus” to
give us whatever we want
– The “God who risks” who
doesn’t really control the
future in particular ways
– God as severely limited by
human free will
• In contrast, if God is
sovereign over all
– We have absolute hope for
all future contingencies
– And have reason to trust
our Heavenly Father to
take care of us
– We need not try to wrest
control from the One who
has it and promises to use
it for our good
– Let’s break this down a bit
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What Does It Mean that God is
Sovereign?
• Romans 8:28 implies that God works every detail of a
believer’s life to the believer’s good and God’s glory
– Move to seeing our faith as pursuit of Gods’ glory, not our
own security
– Changes view of suffering to inevitable in pursuit of our
goal
• Athletes assume some sweat and pain in pursuing victory
– All this is still consistent with human freedom
(compatiblilism)
• this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and
foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of
lawless men. (Acts 2:23 ESV)
13
Five Aspects of Providence
•
•
Exhaustive divine foreknowledge (He knows our free will decisions and has
planned in anticipation of them)
Divine control (He knows how the world will go)
–
“declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying,
‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,” (Isaiah 46:10 ESV)
– Our “free will” decisions cannot undermine his purposes
•
Divine purpose:
– All things work together for His glory
– “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;
it wherever he will.” (Proverbs 21:1 ESV)
– Suffering is accepted in light of its purpose
•
he turns
Divine sovereignty over evil
– Recall Joseph saw brothers intending evil but God intending good
•
It is a benevolent providence
– Important as many persons see God’s as powerful, but as out to get them
– Or as just not able to stop bad things from happening
14
Five Implications from Providence
• Humility:
– we are not in control and do well not to imagine we are or work things
to garner control inappropriately
• Courage:
– we look to future knowing our “team” wins and all in our live serves
this lofty goal
• Hope:
– God is faithful and will fulfill his promises
• Patience:
– biblical virtue of “waiting for the Lord”
• Faith:
– Letting God be in control knowing He will work it out
– Even though He will “work us out” through trials, they should bring joy
(James 1:2-4)
15
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
French Scientist and Catholic
• I ask You neither for health
nor for sickness
• For life nor for death
• But that You may dispose of
my health and my sickness
• My life and my death
• For Your glory
Jansenist (Catholic “Calvinism”)
• You alone know what is
expedient for me;
• You are the sovereign
master;
• Do with me according to
Your will
• Give to me or take away
from me,
• Only conform my will to
Yours
Pascal’s Prayer, Cont.
• I know but one thing
Lord,
• That it is good to follow
You,
• And bad to offend You.
• Apart from that, I know
not what is good or bad in
anything.
• I know not what is most
profitable for me
• Health or sickness
• Wealth or poverty,
• Nor anything else in the
world
• That discernment is
beyond the power of men
or angels
• And is hidden among the
secrets of Your
providence,
• Which I adore,
• But do not seek to
fathom.